Graveyard Keeper Review: A Morbid Twist on Management Sims
Can managing the deceased bring your gaming life back from the grave?
last updated Jan 14, 2024
For any resource management enthusiast who doesn't mind putting in the graveside work, Graveyard Keeper is a game to die for.
A Necromancer's To-Do List
At first glance, Graveyard Keeper may appear to be a charming little romp through the afterlife's administration, but don't let its looks deceive you. Behind the medieval veneer hides a deeply strategic and unforgiving management sim that will have you juggling an exhaustive list of tasks. The learning curve is steeper than the hill leading to my future grave, and it takes a solid 45 minutes of wrangling to really start feeling the 'charm' of running your own shady burial business. But once things click into place, it's a strangely rewarding experience, akin to wrangling a horde of zombies into gardeners—oh wait, you can actually do that here.
Grinding Bones to Make Your Bread
Speaking of the undead, Graveyard Keeper marries the fascinating concept of graveyard management with crafting and exploration in a way that will fully exploit your hoarding tendencies. The game is grindy, especially for those who are unafraid of a good ol' gaming marathon. Patience is key, as is a significant investment in time, which I suppose is a fitting metaphor for eternity in a graveyard. Keep in mind, the game lives up to the 'keeper' part with an almost punishing level of detail required in its crafting systems—so much so, that you'll likely need a spreadsheet just to keep up with all the resources. But for those who love complexity, it's less a chore and more a labor of macabre love.
Resurrecting the Dead... Silence with Audio
Now, let's pay our respects to the audio experience. Does the music breathe life into the game, or is it just a ghostly whisper in the dark? Luckily, it's the former. The soundtrack is a delightful companion, ensuring your time spent among headstones isn't spent in silence. It's catchy enough to give your brain something to hum along to as you're exhuming your next 'project'. The ambient sounds and effects suit the macabre undertone of the game well, though after a plethora of hours, they might haunt you just a bit too much in the silence of your own home.
Beauty in Decay: The Visuals of the Afterlife
Graphically, Graveyard Keeper boasts a pixelated art style that'll invoke nostalgia while impressing you with its dark detail. Everything from headstones to hilariously inappropriate statues looks crisp, and the nighttime visuals are particularly impressive with a neat day-and-night cycle. Performance-wise, the game runs smoother than a freshly dug grave, though sometimes it feels like it could benefit from a little more life—animated backgrounds or the occasional critter scurrying across the graveyard could have added an extra layer of immersion to the already atmospheric world.
Not All Quiet on the Western Gaming Front
While there is a myriad of activities to wet your morbid appetite, it's not all sunshine and roses in the graveyard. Certain mechanics seem designed to lead you into a dark forest of frustration. Complaints of a lost save file loom like a specter, and while most players haven't had their efforts buried prematurely, it’s something to keep an eye out for. Moreover, the pacing might wear you down with its slow momentum, like a headstone eroding over centuries. It requires a stoic resolve, or maybe a masochistic love for the grind.
STEAM RATING
Developer
Lazy Bear Games
Publisher
tinyBuild
Release Date
August 15, 2018
Final Resting Thoughts
Graveyard Keeper proves that even in the afterlife, there's no rest for the wicked. It’s as complex as the ethics of selling burgers of questionable provenance to unsuspecting townsfolk. Hilarious dark humor paired with parably grindy gameplay makes this simulation a haunting hit. For any resource management enthusiast who doesn't mind putting in the graveside work, Graveyard Keeper is a game to die for.
